Beautiful Goodbye

Chapter 39

Present Year

"THEO..." Naluha si Huffle sa narinig kay Theo. His story... he has his story...

Hindi niya lubos maisip na ganito ang sinapit ng huli. He endured a lot!

"Am I too late?" His voice broke, "P-Pwede pa ba ako bumalik? K-Kahit paghirapan ko--"

Pinutol ni Huffle ang salita nito sa pamamagitan ng isang matamis at malalim na halik. His arms instinctively wrapped around her waist, humihigpit.

"I-I never gave up" tugon niya nang sandaling maghiwalay ang mga labi, their foreheads pressed together, "I never gave up, Theo. Alam kong babalik ka pa rin kahit hindi na sila naniniwala. Alam ko..."

He wiped the small tears from her eyes as he tilted her chin up, "Huffle..."

"God heard me..." Napakapit siya sa balikat nito dahil parang kahit anong oras ay babagsak na ang mga tuhod, "Hindi naman ako nananaginip, hindi ba?"

Ngumisi si Theo at hinaplos ang pisngi niya, "Baby, I'm real..." he lowered down and kissed her lips once again.

Totoo nga. Totoo ngang nandito na ito! She's not hallucinating or something. Nandito na si Theo sa piling niya.

And for her to totally take in. She has to feel him and that's what's going on now.

Theo pulled her up and carried her inside the room. Masuyo at buo ng pagsinta ang haplos nito sa kanya.

Dumadaloy ang init ng halik nito sa bawat kalamnan niya. It sent different kind of shivers in her body. At gustong gusto niya iyon.

"Look at me, Baby" he murmured. Nang buksan ang mata ay mapungay nitong mata ang sumalubong sa kanya, "Watch me love you again..."

She chuckled and nodded. Inangat niya ang leeg para bigyang daan ang mga labi ni Theo na dumaloy doon. His hands do wonder beyond.

Nakakakiliti. Nakakaliyo.

They made love that night. It's not wild pero nandoon ang gigil at pagkasabik sa isa't isa. Huffle fell asleep above him, she didn't want him to pull out.

Gusto niyang manatili muna ito. Kahit sandali lang. And he did. Until it led them to another again.

She lost count how many times they did it. Nagising na lamang siya sa mga halik nito sa hubad niyang likuran. He's spooning her tightly.

"G-Good morning" He sexily greeted. "I just waited for you to wake up, pwede ko bang puntahan ang anak natin?"

Hinarap niya ito, "How was your sleep?" tanong niya.

"It was the best sleep I had in years" He kissed her lips. His morning breath filled her nosetrils. Nasaan ang hustisya? Bakit ang bango ng hininga nito samantalang siya...

"Thank you for taking me back, Huffle"

"Thank you for coming back" aniya, "Go, baka inaantay ka na ni Eliz. He would be looking for you once he wake up"

Bumangon na ito't isusuot na dapat ang damit kagabi, "Theo" she stopped him, "Why don't you freshen up first? You have fresh clothes at the cabinet."

Ngumiti ito sa kanya, "Will you join me?"

Napailing siya! Hindi sila matatapos niyan panigurado! "Baka magising na si Eliz, sige ka..."

Nakakaintindi itong tumango, "Fine. But, I won't lock the door" kumindat ito pagkuwa'y pumasok na sa bathroom.

Hinila pa siya muli ng antok. Napagod siya at hindi maikakailang nangalay ang katawan. That was the first sex she had after those years!

Damn it felt great.

Nagising na lamang siya muli dahil sa tawanan at harutan na narinig niya mula sa bintana. Bumangon siya at sinuot ang bathrobe, then looked at the window to see Eliz and Theo playing around the garden.

Nakakatuwang tignan ang magama. Parang hindi kakakilala lang. Salamat sa Diyos dahil nagkaroon ang anak ng pusong mapagtanggap.

He will be proud to know what his father went through just to come home. He will be proud that his father love them so much.

"Mama!" Kinawayan siya ni Eliz, "Sali ka po sa amin!"

Nagkangitian sila ni Theo. Their son smile is so wide. Nakakataba ng puso.

Naalala niya tuloy ang pangaral ng ina nang ipanganak si Eliz at palakihin ito ng wala si Theo.

She said that we humans were like a caterpillar. There's a process that has to happen bago maging butterfly.

And caterpillars has to endure the pain of getting out the cocoon. Hindi pwedeng pilitin, kailangan lang hintayin.

At bilang Kristiyano. Kailangan natin pagkatiwalaan ang proceso ng Diyos sa buhay natin. Maaring masaktan tayo, mahirapan at mawalan ng pagasa.

But, there's always purpose in every pain. All we have to do is to learn how to say goodbye to all the pain and say hello to the lesson that made us stronger than before.

"Elizandre Delaverde" nabasa nito ang mga award ni Eliz na nakadisplay sa living room, "I think it will suit more if it's Harrison"

Napatingin siya rito, "Harrison naman ang apelido niya, pero kapag ganyang contest na hindi naman kailangan ng birth certificate, I use Delaverde as his surname"

"Why is that?"

She sighed, "Para iwas issue. I don't want our son to be bullied" madalas na kasi mangyari iyon sa ibang kabataan. Ate Abby experienced that, ayaw niya maranasan ng anak. "Gusto ko pareho kami ng apelido para walang iisipin ang ibang tao"

Tumango naman ito, "How about in school? Is he using Delaverde or Harrison?"

"In his previous school, I used Harrison" aniya, "Kaya lang doon siya nagsisimulang magtanong. Matalino ang anak mo, madaling makaramdam"

"What happened then?"

"He got conscious. Natatakot mabully. That's why he's homeschooled from Nursery to Kinder, ngayong grade 1 ko na lang pinasok ulit"

"How did you convince him?" he asked, "magkaiba pa rin kayo ng apelido"

She bit her lip, "I-I change mine. Kunwari Harrison din ako" Naginit ang pisngi niya! Nakakahiya!

Napangisi ito at pinagmasdan ang anak, "You raised her well" sambit ni Theo sa kanya nang magpahinga sandali sa paglalaro. Nakatulog din si Eliz sa kandungan nito, buong umaga ba naman maglaro.

"I didn't raise him alone, Theo" aniya, "I can't take all the credit" she smiled and sit beside him.

May dala siyang photo album. Hindi na uso ang pagpprint ng ganitong pictures, pero para kay Huffle, iba pa rin ang ganitong nakadevelop.

"This is Eliz's milestone" she said, "I recorded it for you"

Namangha si Theo sa nakita at tinutok ang atensyon doon. The album consist of her first ultrasound, iyong unang checkup nila sa States.

Hanggang sa lumalaki na ito sa tiyan niya. Then, she gave birth. His dedication. First birthdays and so on.

Nang makita niya si Theo ay namumuo na ang luha sa mga mata nito, "Theo.."

"I-I love you, Huffle" he lovingly said, "Thank you for doing this. Ito ang gabi-gabi kong iniisip noon, Huffle. Kung kumusta ka, kumusta kayo habang wala ako"

But, looking at the album. Nandoon ang mga kapatid nito at ang magulang. She was never alone.

God heard his prayer. Hindi nito hinayaan na magisa si Huffle. He's listening to him all along.

"Marry me..." Nabigla siya sa bigla nitong sambit. "Marry me, Huffle. Please be my wife for real"

Her eyes got misty. Tinanggal niya ang necklace na ang pendant ay ang singsing na binigay nito.

May luha na rin sa mga mata niya. Ngunit ang puso ay masaya. Pwede pa lang masaktan ng ganito?

Parang sasabog ang dibdib niya sa kasiyahan.

"Yes" she wholeheartedly answered.